Cavaliers run over, around, through Coastal Carolina for 43-24 victory

By Scott Ratcliffe

Virginia’s ground game came alive in dominating fashion at Coastal Carolina Saturday, as the Cavaliers rushed for their highest total in nearly 26 years en route to a 43-24 road win.

In its first-ever meeting with the Chanticleers in front of the largest crowd in Brooks Stadium history, UVA (3-1) spoiled the party, getting a huge day from Xavier Brown, who rushed for a career-best 171 yards on just nine carries to lead the way. When the dust settled, the Wahoos racked up 384 yards on the ground, the program’s most successful rushing effort since a 446-yard day against San Jose State in October of 1998. It was all part of a season-high, 525-yard performance for the Virginia offense.

“It was working,” Tony Elliott said of his backfield’s eye-popping production. “The guys, their confidence built throughout the game, the backs ran extremely hard, offensive line gave them holes, they broke tackles and really, really proud. We want to run the football. We want to be effective running the football, we want to be efficient, and then in games where we have opportunity to lead and dominate with the rush, that’s what we want to do.”

Brown posted carries of 29 and 24 yards in the opening quarter to set the tone, then added his longest rush of the day — a 75-yard scamper — to set up a touchdown in the third quarter and push the Cavaliers’ lead to 27 at that point.

The Chanticleers (3-1) got off to a rough start, coughing up the opening kickoff return and handing Virginia the ball in striking range at the 13-yard line just four seconds into the contest. It took Anthony Colandrea just three plays to find Malachi Fields for the game’s first touchdown from 7 yards out, and the Hoos never looked back.

After a CCU field goal, Antonio Clary came away with a tip-drill interception in enemy territory later in the first period, setting up a Grady Brosterhous 5-yard keeper for six that pushed the early advantage to 14-3.

The UVA defense got another quick stop on a three-and-out after Jonas Sanker broke up an Ethan Vasko pass attempt on third down, and then  Brosterhous tacked on his second touchdown of the afternoon with 2:59 left in the half. A Will Bettridge field goal — a 47-yarder, matching his career high — on the final play of the second quarter sent UVA into the break with a comfortable 27-10 lead.

The Hoos got the ball back and Bettridge booted another one through to start the second-half scoring. Following a Coastal turnover on downs on its ensuing possession, Kobe Pace crossed the goal line for a 37-10 lead, all set up by Brown’s 75-yard scamper, with 6:26 left in the third.

Virginia’s defense got another big stop on the opening play of the final quarter, as Chico Bennett dropped Vasko for a 4-yard loss on fourth-and-1 at the Hoos’ 31.

Colandrea put the exclamation point on the day with a 37-yard TD strike to Fields with 12:12 to play, extending the lead to 43-17 after his two-point pass attempt was picked off in the end zone.

The second-year quarterback was an efficient 13 for 20 (65 percent) passing for 131 yards and the two tosses to Fields, while also rushing for 46 yards on nine carries.

Brown’s previous career high came in 2022 against Old Dominion, when he went for 88 yards. The 5-foot-9, 196-pound back certainly made his case for more touches moving forward, and gives opposing defenses another UVA offensive weapon to monitor.

Pace chipped in with 70 all-purpose yards (57 rushing, 13 receiving), while Jack Griese and Noah Vaughn combined for 70 more rushing yards, Tony Muskett had two carries for 23 yards, and Dante Hawthorne contributed 12 yards on his only tote.

Fields led the team in receiving with 65 yards and the two TD grabs on just four catches. Tyler Neville had a pair of receptions for 31 yards.

The Cavaliers were much better on third down Saturday, converting 9 of 18 after entering the contest with the ACC’s worst mark in that department.

Clary led the defensive effort with 8 total tackles, as the Hoos limited the Chanticleers’ high-powered rushing attack to just 82 yards on the ground (they averaged over 250 per outing coming into Saturday). Coastal registered 302 through the air for a total of 384, well below its average of 431.7 yards per game.

UVA Offensive Stats

Team Notes

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

• Virginia and Coastal Carolina met for the first time. UVA improved to 6-4 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt Conference.
• The Chanticleers were one of 43 unbeaten teams in FBS coming into the weekend.
• UVA rushed for 384 yards, the first time UVA eclipsed the 300-yard rushing mark since 2018 vs. Richmond. It was the most rushing yards in a game by a UVA offense since compiling 446 yards against San Jose State in 1998.
• Virginia’s 43 points were the most scored under Elliott and the most since scoring 49 against BYU in 2021.
• UVA is 3-1 on the season, its best start under head coach Tony Elliott and its best start since 2019 (4-0).
• Marks the fourth time in last 17 years (since 2008) Virginia has three or more wins through its first four games (2024 – 3-1; 2019 – 4-0; 2018 – 3-1; 2017 – 3-1).
• Virginia forced a season-high, three turnovers (two fumbles, one interception). It was the first time UVA forced three or more takeaways since forcing four against Boston College (4 – 2 fumbles, 2 interceptions). In addition, the Cavaliers forced a three of turnover on downs.
• UVA never trailed in the contest and took the lead 1:24 into the game.
• Second time in four games UVA scored on opening drive (Richmond – 3 plays, 77 yards). The scoring drive was UVA’s shortest in yardage (13 yards) of the season.
• Announced attendance at Brooks Stadium was 22,104, the largest crowd in facility history. It broke the previous record of 21,324 set against Marshall on Oct. 23, 2023.

Player Notes

• Xavier Brown rushed for 171 yards on nine carries (19.0 ypc). He is UVA’s first 100-yard rusher since Perris Jones ran for 134 yards against William & Mary last season. He is the first Cavalier to rush for 150-plus yards since Bryce Perkins vs. Virginia Tech in 2019 (164 yards) and the first UVA running back with 150-plus since 2018 (Jordan Ellis vs. Ohio).
• The 75-yard run by Brown is the longest by a UVA rusher since Jordan Ellis’ 75-yard scamper against Louisville in 2018
• Grady Brosterhous rushed for two touchdowns on three carries. He has six carries for 10 yards and three touchdowns this season.
• Brosterhous is the first Cavalier with multiple rushing touchdowns in a game since Mike Hollins against North Carolina (3 touchdowns) in 2023. He’s the first Cavalier quarterback with multiple rushing scores since Brennan Armstrong had two against Virginia Tech in 2021.
• The three rushing touchdowns this year by Brosterhous are the most in a season by a UVA quarterback since 2022 (Brennan Armstrong – 6).
• For the second time in his career, Malachi Fields caught two touchdown passes in a game. The TD receptions were his first two of the season and he ups his career total to eight. He finished the game with 4 receptions, 64 yards and two touchdowns.
• Dating back to last years’ season finale, Fields has four touchdowns in his last five games.
• On the opening kickoff, Landon Danley forced a fumble that was recovered by Eli Wood. Today marked the fifth game of Danley’s career.
• Antonio Clary led the team with eight tackles and came up his second career interception midway through the first quarter … his other career interception was against Louisville in 2022.
• Kam Butler was credited with his first sack of the season, running his career total up to 22.5 (7.5 at UVA).
• Kicker Will Bettridge was 3 for 3 on field-goal attempts and 4 for 4 on extra-point attempts. He tied his career long on a 47-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
• Daniel Sparks was credited with a 60-yard punt in the first quarter, his seventh career punt of 60-plus yards.

UP NEXT

UVA will enjoy a bye week before hosting Boston College in an important early-season conference clash on Oct. 5 (kickoff time TBA).